Perspective: Critical Genre: Essay Audience: Peers and Future Counselors Purpose: To explore further about being an individual and tolerant of others in a society that is constantly trying to make you like everyone else Engagement: Using the text as a way to guide discussion on the social roles society places on an individual and the importance of individual differences and acceptance
Star Girl provides numerous opportunities for the reader to relate to the various characters. The reader will quickly find themselves wrapped up in the world of Leo, Star Girl, and Mica High. The experiences of Star Girl and Leo are experiences that many people face not only in high school, but also throughout their life. Star Girl provides the reader with a new way of thinking, a new outlook on the world as they see her unwavering from the person she truly is in order to fit in with everyone else. Star Girl offers valuable lesson to the readers, which may also help them form connections between the experiences of Star Girl in the book and their own experiences. The issue of acceptance and the deliverance of negative sanctions by society for being different is a prevalent theme throughout the story.
It is important to teach children, especially at a young age, the value of being an individual. In a world that is constantly trying to make you be like everyone else, it is important to know the value of being yourself. We live in a society that is too quick to judge those who deviate from the norm. A society that tells people who they should be, how they should act, what they should wear, what job they should hold to be successful and to always be just another face in the crowd. The American society especially pushes the idea of conformity and working towards the ‘American Dream’. While there are some norms, such as wearing clothing, that every individual is socially responsible for upholding, there are other norms constructed by the majority that marginalize the minority even more. These unrealistic expectations placed on society as a whole inhibits individual expression. There are many individuals who have much to offer, but instead of being acknowledged for their contributions they are ostracized because of their differences. We should be encouraging our children to be more like Star Girl, instead of falling into the place of either Leo or Hillari. As they grow, children are constantly trying to find themselves. This task becomes harder when they are constantly told to conform. Star Girl offers an outlet for children, for it shows them that they should stay true to themselves. It is important that we change the status quo and teach our children to embrace the individuality and differences of both themselves and others.
Being told that you are not allowed to be yourself is the worse lesson we could be teaching our children. It is important for children to know that everyone comes from different backgrounds and life situations. They should be taught that everyone should be accepted for who they are regardless of their circumstances. An issue that is prevalent in the world today is the inability for some to be tolerant of individuals who are different for numerous reasons such as race, religion, family situations and lifestyle. Change can be a scary thing for people. That is evident in the current Gay Marriage debate that is going on in our country. There are those individuals who are not willing to deviate from the norm that marriage is between a man and women; they are not willing to be open-minded and accepting of another’s lifestyle. This intolerance has led some to feel like second-class citizens, while others feel like they need to hide who they truly are to be accepted in our society. It is important for us to teach our children that they do not need to necessarily agree with another person, but they do need to respect and accept their choices. Reading about the experiences of Star Girl will help reinforce this idea. Star Girl is constantly negatively sanctioned for being different from everyone else. Leo decides to try and stand up for her, even though he is not sure why she will not conform to be like everyone else. Leo exhibits the idea of tolerance. Although he may not understand or agree with Star Girl, he is accepting of who she is and stands up for her despite her differences. The interaction between Star Girl and Leo demonstrates the opportunities that are opened when people become open-minded. It shows that you can have an impact on others lives without even knowing. Leo was afraid of deviating from the norm and wanting a girl who was so different. Fear is something everyone can sympathize with. Fear of rejection is something that everyone goes through. Star Girl showed Leo that conforming to what others view as the norm does not guarantee happiness. This lesson is important to teach our children as they face the pressure that society places upon them. Conformity does not breed happiness. The sooner we embrace the differences within our society, the sooner more people are going to exhibit happiness because they will finally be free of the criticism that came with being true to themselves.
Star Girl
Perspective: Critical
Genre: Essay
Audience: Peers and Future Counselors
Purpose: To explore further about being an individual and tolerant of others in a society that is constantly trying to make you like everyone else
Engagement: Using the text as a way to guide discussion on the social roles society places on an individual and the importance of individual differences and acceptance
Star Girl provides numerous opportunities for the reader to relate to the various characters. The reader will quickly find themselves wrapped up in the world of Leo, Star Girl, and Mica High. The experiences of Star Girl and Leo are experiences that many people face not only in high school, but also throughout their life. Star Girl provides the reader with a new way of thinking, a new outlook on the world as they see her unwavering from the person she truly is in order to fit in with everyone else. Star Girl offers valuable lesson to the readers, which may also help them form connections between the experiences of Star Girl in the book and their own experiences. The issue of acceptance and the deliverance of negative sanctions by society for being different is a prevalent theme throughout the story.
It is important to teach children, especially at a young age, the value of being an individual. In a world that is constantly trying to make you be like everyone else, it is important to know the value of being yourself. We live in a society that is too quick to judge those who deviate from the norm. A society that tells people who they should be, how they should act, what they should wear, what job they should hold to be successful and to always be just another face in the crowd. The American society especially pushes the idea of conformity and working towards the ‘American Dream’. While there are some norms, such as wearing clothing, that every individual is socially responsible for upholding, there are other norms constructed by the majority that marginalize the minority even more. These unrealistic expectations placed on society as a whole inhibits individual expression. There are many individuals who have much to offer, but instead of being acknowledged for their contributions they are ostracized because of their differences. We should be encouraging our children to be more like Star Girl, instead of falling into the place of either Leo or Hillari. As they grow, children are constantly trying to find themselves. This task becomes harder when they are constantly told to conform. Star Girl offers an outlet for children, for it shows them that they should stay true to themselves. It is important that we change the status quo and teach our children to embrace the individuality and differences of both themselves and others.
Being told that you are not allowed to be yourself is the worse lesson we could be teaching our children. It is important for children to know that everyone comes from different backgrounds and life situations. They should be taught that everyone should be accepted for who they are regardless of their circumstances. An issue that is prevalent in the world today is the inability for some to be tolerant of individuals who are different for numerous reasons such as race, religion, family situations and lifestyle. Change can be a scary thing for people. That is evident in the current Gay Marriage debate that is going on in our country. There are those individuals who are not willing to deviate from the norm that marriage is between a man and women; they are not willing to be open-minded and accepting of another’s lifestyle. This intolerance has led some to feel like second-class citizens, while others feel like they need to hide who they truly are to be accepted in our society. It is important for us to teach our children that they do not need to necessarily agree with another person, but they do need to respect and accept their choices. Reading about the experiences of Star Girl will help reinforce this idea. Star Girl is constantly negatively sanctioned for being different from everyone else. Leo decides to try and stand up for her, even though he is not sure why she will not conform to be like everyone else. Leo exhibits the idea of tolerance. Although he may not understand or agree with Star Girl, he is accepting of who she is and stands up for her despite her differences. The interaction between Star Girl and Leo demonstrates the opportunities that are opened when people become open-minded. It shows that you can have an impact on others lives without even knowing. Leo was afraid of deviating from the norm and wanting a girl who was so different. Fear is something everyone can sympathize with. Fear of rejection is something that everyone goes through. Star Girl showed Leo that conforming to what others view as the norm does not guarantee happiness. This lesson is important to teach our children as they face the pressure that society places upon them. Conformity does not breed happiness. The sooner we embrace the differences within our society, the sooner more people are going to exhibit happiness because they will finally be free of the criticism that came with being true to themselves.